Combined starting and mixing chamber for liquid-fuel burners



J. IRONSIDE May 27, 1930.

COMBINED STARTING AND MIXING CHAMBER FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed June 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I'll, 9.1%

O0 0 O O INL/ENTOR. J 5 ,Fmv/dg ATTORNEY.

J. lRdNsmE May 27, 1930.

COMBINED STARTING AND MIXING GHAMBEIR FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed June 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. Jan/e9 java/d6 I TTORNEY.

Patented May 27, 1930 UNIT-E TATES PATENT JAMES IRONSI D E, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

CLAYTON 8a. LAMBERT MANUFACTURING CO., 0E DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORYORA-n 'IION' on DELAWARE COMBINED STARTING AND :wrrinne CHAMBER non LIQUIDJUEL BUnNEns Application filed June 13,

This invention relates to a combined startmg and mixing chamber for liquid fuel burners, and has to do particularly with that type of liquid fuel burner wherein the generator tube and the mixing chamber and/or the starting member are adapted to be moved adapted to receive a generating tube and to cooperate with said tube in a novel manner in two different positions of said tube. More specifically, the present'invention relates to the provision of an integral starting and mixchamber which is cylindrical in shape, a

, portion of said cylindrical member being cut x to away and a port-ion opposite saidcut away part being formed in the shape of a priming cup whereby this cylindrical member may be rotated about its axis to starting position and then rotated 180 to mixing and normal operating position. ture makes it possible to form a combined starting and mixing chamber which has very few parts which require machining, and

which is very inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Qther features of this invention include the 1 novel manner of positioning the cylindrical element within an integral housingwhich housing serves in combination with the cylindrical element as amixing and conducting member, and also serves asa meansof conducting the air to a point where it is mixed with; the vaporized fuel. Another feature has to dowith the peculiar formation of the cylindrical starting andmixing member and particularly with the formation of one end 1 thereof which serves as a deflector member forinitially deflecting the vaporized fuel gene-ratlng This novel cylindrical struc- 1928. Serial no. 284,922.

in the her in correct starting position.

OFFICE generator tube andcylindrical niem- Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 butshowing the cylindrical starting member rotated 180 about its axisso as to completely enclose the supporting housing and also showing the tube moved to normal operating position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structureshown 111 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is anend elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 1. i

V In illustrat ng the present invention Ihave shown the same. as being embodied in connection with a stove structure of the type having a movable generator tubeadapted to be heated in normal operating position bya burner positioned beneath said generating tube, but it will he understoodthat this invention is not limited to the specific structure shown, but maybe broadly embodied in any liquid fuel burning apparatus regardless of the particular movement between the generator tube and the starting structure, and regardless also of the manner of heating the generator tube after initial starting.

The housing for embodying the starting element may be generally designated and is preferably an integral casting having a certain portion thcreofdesigned to rotatably receive a cylindrically shaped starting member which may be generally designated 2. Inthe;

particular embodiment shown, the housing 1 is provided with air inlets 3 which extend forwardly and upwardly and merge into a common chamber which has an inlet opening 4 fOI'TGCGlIVlDg and positlonmg the generator tube 5.

This generator tube may be of any stand;

'ard type and as shown comprises a tube enlarged at its outer end and provided with spiral coils of wiretherein for feeding the liquid fuel by capillary action, and also pro- Y vided with a suitablejet block 6 for directing the vaporized fuel forwardly in a fine stream. A suitable burner 7 may be positioned beneath the generator tube 5 whereby to maintain the same heated to the proper degree ably made up of step ed cylindrical sections;

in other words, the rout of said cylindrical unit is formed of a cylindrical section of relatively small diameter which may be designated 8, and this section 8 is preferably cut away,'as shown at 9 in Fig. 2. The other portion of the tube is of somewhat larger diameter and may be designated 10. This enlarged art of the cylindrical member is so deslgne as to form a priming cup 11. This E OI'tIOD. 10 is also cut away, as best shown in igs. 1 and 2, with the exception of a por tion 12 at the extreme end thereof, which portion 12 forms a 'ournal for the outer end of the member 2. The member 2 is preferably cast integrally, and the end-portion 12 is provided with a suitable arcuate depression 13 which serves as a blast deflector, as will be later described.

The housing member 1 has a portion thereof which is cylindrical in shape, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and these portions comprise a relatively small cylindrical portion 15 which serves as a bearing for the inner cylindrical portion 8 of the member 2, and an enlarged cylindrical portion 16 which serves as a bearin for the cylindricalportion 12 of the member 2. The cylindrical side walls of thehousing 1 and the cylindrical portion 10 of the member 2 preferably extend upwardly slightly past the center, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby when the cylindrical member 2 is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 2, the two cylindrical portions will cooperate and over- 1a to form a complete enclosed circuit.

uitably secured to the head 12 of the cylindrical member 2 is an arm 17 having a suitable handle 18 with lu'gs 19 at each end thereof. The member 17 is adapted to extend horizontally to the right, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 whenever the cylindrical member 2 is in starting position, and when it is desired to rotate the member 2 to closed mixing position. it is only necessary to grasp one of the lugs 19 and move the same to a diametrically opposite position. Although there is very little tendency for a structure of this nature to leak, I maytprovide a suitable annular groove 20 in the circumference of the head 12, as shown, or in the inner circumference of the bearing portion 16, and fill this groove with a suitable ring of asbestos and graphite or any other suitable material which will make the fitting'gas-tight and prevent the vaporized gases from leaking.

The lower portion of the integral housing 1 is preferably formed in the shape of a conduit 21 which extends downwardly and rearwardly whereby to conduct the combustible mixture to the burner or burners of the stove or other liquid fuel burning apparatus.

In operation, in order to start the stove or other structure, the generator tube 5 may be moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1, the member 2 having been turned to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Liquid fuel is then in'troduced into the tube 5 under pressure, and a small amount of the liquid fuel allowed to be projected into the drip cup 11, when the valve for admitting liquid fuel to the tube 5 is closed. The fuel in the drip cup 11 may then be ignited and the heat from the open flame will soon heat the enlarged outer end of the tube 5 to vaporize the liquid fuel therein, which liquid fuel being vaporized will be projected through the orifice in the jet block forwardly against the deflector surface 18 and then backwardly over the surface of the liquid fuel in the drip cup 11, and against the generator tube 5. This rearwardly directed vaporized fuel will be in the form of a strong blast of flame which will greatly accelerate the heating of the generator tube 5 so that in a very short time the tube will be hot enough to vaporize any liquid fuel passed therethrough. When the liquid fuel in the dripping cup 11 has been practically burned up the operator merely rotates the member 2 one hundred and eighty degrees by moving the arm 17 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to a diametrically opposite position so that the member 2 completes the housing 1, as shown in Fig. 2. The tube 5 is then withdrawn to the position shown in Fig. 2, the fuel inlet valve opened, and the vaporized fuel projected from the jet block 6 will mix with air entering the passageways 3 to form a combustible mixture which Will be conducted forwardly and then downwardly and backwardly through the conduit 21 and into the burner 7 where such completely vaporized fuel will be ignited to heat the tube 5 and insure continued operation of the apparatus.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a starting and mixing unit which is extreme- 1y simple and compact in design and which comprises only two parts, an integrally cast housing, and an integral cylindrical starting unit. The design of such two parts is such that very little, if any, machining is necessary, the only machining required in any case being the rough machining of the cooperatin cylindrical surfaces.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A combined starting and mixing chamber for liquid fuel burners, comprising a housing provided with a passageway for conducting air to the vaporized fuel and another passageway for conducting the vaporized fuel towards the burner or burners, and a combined closure and starting member rotatably mounted on the said housing and adapted to close the upper part of said second passageway from the atmosphere and place the same in communication with said first passageway in one position of rotation.

2. A combined starting and mixing chamber for liquid fuel burners, comprising a housing adapted to cooperate'with a generating member and provided with a rotatable tric walls, and means for rotating said starting member to one position whereby the walls of said starting member Will be complementally positioned, and to another position whereby said semi-circular walls will be oppositely positioned to a form a completely closed housing to conduct the generating gases to the burner or burners.

o. A combined starting and mixing chamher for liquid fuel burners, comprising a cylindrical starting member having a portion of its surface shaped to form a priming Cup and a portion thereof cut away, a housing for supporting said starting member having surfaces thereof cylindrical in shape whereby to form bearing supports for said starting member, a passageway in said housing leading away from said cylindrically shaped portion, and means for rotating said starting member, said starting member being adapted in one position to close said passageway, and

in another position to uncover said passageway. i

4;. A combined starting and mixing chamher for liquid fuel burners, comprising a housing adapted to receive a generating member and including a starting member rotatably mounted to rotate about said generating member as an axis, said starting member being shaped and movable to one position to form a fuel pan for preheating the generating member, and toaanother position for closing the housing to conduct the generated gases to the burner or burners.

5. A combined starting and mixing l1lII1- her for liquid fuel burners, comprising a housing provided with an entrance head for receiving a generating member, a starting member rotatably mounted and provided with a cylindrical portion for also receiving said generating member, and means for rotating said starting member approximately 180 about said generating member as an axis to close said housing and form a wall of a passageway for conducting the generated gas to the burner or burners.

6. A combined starting and mixing chamber for liquid fuel burners, comprising a housing provided with an aperture for receivto said blast deflector, and means for moving said fuel pan and blast deflector to a position below and in front of said generating memberwhereby to initially deflect the .vaporized fuel issuing from said member back against said member in the form of flames to accelerate the starting thereof.

8. A starting device for liquid fuel burners of the type having a generator tube and a conduit for mixing and conducting the vaporized fuel from the generating tube to wards the burner manifold, comprising a combined blast deflector and fuel pan substantially cylindrical in shape and movable as a unit about an axis in alignment with said generator tube and within said conduit to a position in front of and below the generator tube, the fuel pan producing flames for heating up said tube, and the blast deflector deflecting vaporized fuel issuing from said tube back against the same in the form of flames to accelerate the heating of said tube.

9. A starting device for liquid fuel burners of the type having a single main generator, and a conduit for conducting the vaporizedcombustible fuel from the generating tube toward the burner or burners, compris- 'ing a blast deflector rotatably but permanentdeflector will be positioned in front of the generating tube for deflecting the vaporized fuel issuing from the generating tube downwardly and backwardly in the form of a blast against the tube itself.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES IRONSIDE.

ing a generator member and a passageway for 7. A combined starting and mixing chamher for liquid fuel burners, comprising a housing adapted to receive the outlet of a generator member and for conductlng vapor- 

